Masquerade
by Livebythepen88
Summary: This is my first fanfic. Its a few diary and journal entires in Kartiks and Gemmas eyes.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fanfic...please review!! Tell me whether you like it and I should continue. This is sort of like a diary of Gemmas. And I'll prob have a journal for Kartik...cause a diary is too pansy for a guy...Enjoy!**

It is quiet different living in London full time. The time spent with Grandmamma and Tom is, to say the least, hardly bearable. Although, since Father has been well, it is like having the old him back. I can hardly complain. Father rehired Kartik, and knowing that he's back gives me a nervous feeling. It had hardly left my mind that Kartik had lied about his second task. Just the thought sends shivers down my spine. I can hardly stop wondering why he left the Rakshana. Was it because he realized the evil of his so called brothers, or was it because of me? I suppose I will never know. My courage around him has not yet been reestablished. I have not even been to visit him while he has been here.

I also thought of the utter torment of being in the same city as Simon Middleton. Because my season is coming up, it would be on my lucky stars that I never see him.

I wish greatly I could visit Ann and Felicity. Tonight at dinner, Grandmamma seemed very skeptical about my season.

"Do I wish that the perfect rich handsome man will come for you Gemma? Of course I do, but I do not thing you will find someone as perfect as Mr. Middleton.

At this I rolled my eyes. _Sure Grandmamma, I will never find anyone so perfect. Why must you be so overdramatic?_ I thought

"And what is Miss Worthington up too?" She asked. At this, I saw Tom sit up a bit straighter, which made my stomach turn.

"I am not sure. I was wondering if I may call on her this week." I asked Grandmamma

She nodded, "That will be alright. You two could go shopping for gowns for the Masquerade Ball. You will need in escort to go with you."

"I'll escort them Grandmamma." Nearly chocking on my soup, I looked, wide-eyed at Tom. He seemed sincere, which gave me a strange feeling.

Trying to protest, I said "Oh but Tom. I'm quite sure that Mrs. Worthington will want her maid Franny to accompany us…" But no matter how many times I objected it was in vain

"It will be an honor. Plus, you two will want a gentleman option, will you not?"

Sighing, I nodded, and continued to finish my dinner. I then excused myself from the table, complaining of a headache.

As I walked to my room, I tried to analyze Tom's eagerness to come shopping with two young girls. I could only think that he fancied Felicity, which made me feel like I was going to be sick.

"Oh, what nonsense! That's completely ridicules." I muttered to myself. Or, was it? Of course it was. But it could be possible, or could it be? I was confusing myself. Walking into my room, I kicked my bed, sending pain up my leg. Then, my heart skipped a beat when I saw a folded piece of paper on my pillow. I reached for it and saw Kartik's familiar handwriting.

_Miss Doyle _

_Please meet me at the stables_

_Kartik_

His formality frightened me. Still, I hid the piece of paper, wrote my calling card to Felicity until I heard the last door close.

**Thanks...Review!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I wrote this while I listened to my parents argue about how to hook up our DVD player. So I'm a bit sarcastic. And I'm sure my grammar is really sucking. So, Sorry. **

I have to tell her that they are back. This time, they are not going to be so kind, if you could call them kind. I shuddered. Since Gemma had refused to bind the magic to us, no…them, they were going to be ruthless. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on her. Hopefully she does not't go out anytime soon. Especially with that one friend of hers. They will go to the realms and for sure, the Rakshana will be able to find her. The magic will be fresh and strong.

I have to be more formal with her. I can't let any feeling get involved with my protection from her. But then why don't I just give her to the Rakshana? Oh, of course I can't do that. Even if I can never tell her how I feel, I will not let her die. I still care for her, for her well being. I can't be anything but that, a good friend.

I paced around my room for ages, hoping no one else had found the note I had hid in her room. I can only image what would happen if her maid, Molly, would do if she found it. I ran my figures through my hair, feeling the cold air on my back. I turn around to see Gemma standing at the stable door. She looks well, tired, but just as lovely as before. Her red hair was pin up, I wished she would leave it down more often, it was so beautiful. Her green eyes stared at me; they were bright, determined just as I remembered.

"Miss Doyle." I said, keeping my distance from her.

"Kartik." She said, I sighed. She either has not't noticed my formality, or was choosing to ignore it. It was probably the second one.

"I have news. About the Rakshana." I said

Gemma's eyes looked at me. The green was mixed with fear, and excitement. She's such a bold girl. How has that not put her in more danger, more trouble?

"Do you? Are you, still in the Rakshana?" she asked. I could not help but smile, I could tell she was trying to hide her curiosity, but I could hear it, even in her breathing.

"Oh no. I would rather…" my voice trailed off. How stupid I am! I almost, said I would rather tell your brother I love you, then go back to them. I shook my head. "I don't know, but I would never go back to the Rakshana. Surly they would kill me."

"I see." Gemma said, politely.

"But I do know that they are back."

Gemma sat on one of the stools by the stable.

"Back?" she asked "I did not know they left."

"Not really left, went to Ireland, I'm not entirely sure why, but I don't think I want to know. But anyway, now that they are back, you had better watch yourself." _Or I will, and won't tell you._

Her face paled, I didn't even think that was possible. "What do you mean? Watch myself?"

I ran my figures through my hair. She probably already hates me, since I was supposed to kill her. Now she has to be looking over her shoulder, hoping that some random man doesn't come running at her with a knife.

"They are not very happy with you. They want to kill you." I said

"They will not try to kill me in the middle of my season, in the middle of London. That's absurd."

I began to pace again, "No, they will. And it will be violent and painful, and not very pleasant."

I turned to face her. She was as white as snow, and her eyes were like cricket balls.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I just…"

Gemma cleared her throat and stood up. "No well I don't suppose being violently killed would be very pleasant. I'm going to go. It was nice to see you again, Kartik."

I felt terrible "Good night, Miss Doyle."

She gave me a skeptical glance, and walked out. When I was sure she had gone, I walked to my small room, and threw myself on my bed. _Wonderful, I've given her nightmares._ Poor Gemma will be paranoid until they are gone. Or…no, until they are gone.

She was far too informal with me. She needs learn! She's going to have to watch herself. Mr. Doyle will have a fit if she calls me anything but Mr. Kartik. Gemma would probably argue that she will not be so careless, but she can not grantee. Although I'm sure she doesn't care. So stubborn.

"Gemma." I whispered. It was such a beautiful name. I wondered how the Doyle's had come up with the name Gemma. Did they know that their daughter would haunt my dreams? I doubt it. Unless Mrs. Doyle knew, she could have. Amar had told me of her power, she was strong. She could have known that their beautiful, redheaded daughter would be the wonderful torment of the very person who was to be her demise. _What a nice topic. _

One of the small stable boys knocked on my door. He came in and asked

"Excuse me sir, will you tell me of India again. I can not sleep."

Poor boy, orphaned and longing for a family. He was born in India and was taken to England after his parents died. When I looked at him, I saw his sadness, the want and need for parents.

"Come." I said, and told the boy of India until he fell asleep.

**How sweet is that!? Kartik is like a father to the poor boy. I dont have a name for him...if you can think of one, tell me. Thanks! Review, please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A day of shopping can always put a girl in a good mood...but is it all fun and games?**

I walked down the stairs, wishing that I could be going shopping with Felicity and Franny. Tom was bound to keep a close eye on us, unlike Franny who, no matter many times we ditched her, she always fell for it. What is he playing at!? I can't even image what he is trying to do going shopping with us. I continued to analyze it, again confusing myself through breakfast, and on the way to Felicity's house.

In the carriage, Tom stared out the window, and I watched him carefully. I watched as he fidgeted in his seat. He ran his figures through his hair, reminding me of Kartik. I smiled at the thought of Kartik.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked, impatient

Shaking my head, I told him, "Nothing." And looked out the window.

As we approached the Worthington's, Tom was fidgeting like a crazy person.

"You know, Tom. If you keep fidgeting like that, they are going to put you in the mental institute." I said

He glared at me, shooting me the icy look I've ever seen. "Gemma it is not amusing to make fun of the people in institutes."

I rolled my eyes, "Sorry. I was just trying to make a joke."

Just then the carriage door opened, and I saw Kartik standing there, helping Felicity into the carriage. He gave me a glance, and closed the door behind her.

"Miss Doyle, it's nice to see you. Mr. Doyle." She said, giving me a strange look.

I heard Kartik say, "If everyone is settled…"

"Yes, go." Tom said sounding rather stuck up.

We rode in silent, Felicity and I were trying to contact through our eyes, which was not working very well. Tom noticed us, and was trying to make conversation with Felicity.

"So, how are you enjoying London, Miss Worthington?"

"What? Oh, it is quite pleasant."

Tom nodded, and looked away. His face was a light shade of pink, which made me sick. Felicity touched her neck, and looked at my necklace. I knew what she was asking, _is anything wrong in the realms?_

I glance at Tom, and nodded a quick yes. I then pointed my eyes to the front of the carriage. She made a confused face, and I tried to make my eyes look more frantic and point to the front of the carriage again. It took her a few seconds, but she finally got it. Her mouth dropped a bit, and she glanced at Tom. Then mouthed, _Kartik?_ And I nodded.

Tom turned back toward us. We sat perfectly forward, trying to look pleasant. We stopped in the heart of London. Lovely women dressed in beautiful gowns were walking with handsome young men. Children ran in front of their mothers, who were trying to chase them without making a commotion. Kartik came, and opened the door for us. He took my hand, squeezed it softly and helped me out. He took Felicity's hand, looking stiff.

"You can watch the carriage Mr. Kartik. We'll find you when we're finished." Tom said

With a nod of the hat, Kartik lend the carriage away from us. Felicity linked her arm in mine, and we walked away from Tom, who scurried to keep up. We lend him into a store in began to look around. Once we pick up a few dresses, we walked to the back of the store were the dressing rooms and the mirrors were.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Felicity asked me, quietly.

"Kartik says that the Rakshana are back, and they are plotting to kill me." I said. Since I had already told her about Kartik's "second task", she understood my fear.

"Oh, dear. I do wish we could visit the realms, I wish we could with Ann. And see Pippa."

Ann had gone to Kent, like she was supposed too. Seeing Pippa was not really on the top of my agenda.

"As do I. But we can't go now. Not with Tom here. I miss Ann very much." I said to her.

"I know. Well why don't we write to her. But, we have to try these dresses on and find masks, or we're going to have to listen to our parents bother us about it."

We laughed, and after a day of shopping, I felt much better. When we finished, I had found a beautiful dress in mint green, and I'm going to have a mask made that matches it. Felicity bought one that was the same blue color as her eyes. As we went to the carriage, Felicity and I talked about how lovely we were going to look, when a large man bumped into me.

"Excuse me, Miss." He said. When I turned to look at him, he was gone. On the ground were he had been was a small gold pin. I picked it up and felt my whole body become cold. The symbol of the Rakshana was on the pin.

"Gemma, will you keep up." I heard Tom say.

I slipped the pin in my pocket, and quickly walked to the carriage.

**Dun Dun DUHHH! Ok thanks Review please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, I'm going to apologize for any pervious and future spelling/grammar mistakes in my story. I am a terrible speller that is so terrible that spell check can't even help me. Ok, so anyway I'm home sick and I am really bored so thats why I'm updating so much. So, yeah. Thanks review.**

Society is the most, horrendous thing in the world. While Gemma was out shopping, I sat off to the side of the street. As I sat there, looking around, people gave me dirty looks and hushed their children away from me. These people must think I am some sort of disease that they will catch if they get to close. Honestly, the upper class of London society makes me sick. I would much rather be in the slums were people didn't judge. Even if the people are poor and dirty, they don't judge because everyone is in the bucket.

I couldn't concentrate on any of my work today. I kept thinking of the glares that people have been giving me. I am Indian; these people are just going to have to get over it. I sat in the stables, using a stick to dig a hole in the ground. I'll go and live in it. Since that's the only place that Indians should be. I continued to dig when the door burst open. Gemma was standing there, breathing heavily, with her left hand grasped closed. I jumped up and ran over to her. She tried to talk, but it came out as a long sound of gasping and random words I couldn't make into a sentence. Words like, _bump, man, pin, city, and Tom_.

"Calm down. Gemma, stop breath." I said to her.

It took her a few minutes, but she finally calmed down. Gemma thrust out her left hand and opened in. Inside was a small gold pin.

"What is this?" I asked her

"Look at it." She said.

I reached into her hand, and picked up the small pin. I turned it over and saw the symbol of the Rakshana on the pin. My body went cold, when I looked at Gemma; she was staring at the pin.

"Where did you get this?" I asked her

"When I was in the city, we were leaving and a man bumped into me. When I turned around, her was gone, and that was on the ground were he had been."

I shook my head, "What did the man look like?"

Gemma stood there for a minute, and then said "Tall, a bit larger, he was wearing a dark suit I think."

"You didn't see his face?" I asked her

She shook her head, "No, he walked away to fast."

"Go home. Stay there. Please, don't leave your house alone, even with Tom, or your Grandmamma, especially with your Father. He is still not completely stable."

And for course Miss I must argue about everything, argued. "No, Father is stable. You know he is you've seen him, you…"

I cut her off, not wanting to listen to her, "Yes, yes. You're right. But I still don't want you going out with anyone. Please…" I put my hands on her shoulders, and was so close to shaking her.

"Alright, I won't leave my house." She pulled away, turned around to leave and I heard her mutter, "Like I'm really going to be able to stay in my house, Grandmamma, I can not go because an evil group of crazy killers are after me. No I'm serious."

I couldn't hear her continuous rant as she was to far away from me. I rolled my eyes. Gemma is much too sarcastic and stubborn. But I still smiled when I thought about her. How ridicules I am. In love with a sarcastic, stubborn, English girl.

**Oh Kartik, how can you not love him?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Um wow, it hasnt been cough 3 months since I last updated. Sorry I had school, then finals, then lots of other stuff. So I'll try to update more.**

Being confined to my house is rather boring. All I can do is wonder about humming under my breath. Although I don't usually hum under my breath, it makes Tom irritable so I continue despite his pleas for me to stop. Grandmamma had been invited to an absurd amount of garden teas, and calls this week, and wanted me to come to every single one.

"To better your knowledge of people for your season." She said. I highly doubted she cared a lick about my 'knowledge of people' but that she wanted to show me off. Not that there is much to show.

But the amount of parties she was called to! No one should do so much in one day.

I decided to visit father today, and I wish gravely I hadn't seen what happened.

I knocked on the door to his office, and when I didn't hear an answer, I opened the door anyway. Father was on the ground, unconscious, and a few feet away from him was a bottle. I didn't bother look at the bottle I ran to father. I opened his eyelids, and his eyes were rolled back into his head. I laid my head down on his chest to listen for a heart beat. Thank God there was one. I can hardly remember anything after that. I do remember screaming over and over for Tom. All the servants came running into the room. I remember being pulled away from my father's body. Then Tom running in and everything after that goes black.

I found out later what happened after I fainted. Tom called the doctor and had everyone carried Father to his bedroom. The doctor said that Father had alcohol poisoning. Apparently it wasn't bad enough for father to die, but he was unconscious for hours. The doctor ordered him to complete bed rest and for someone to watch him at all times. The next time this happened, he wouldn't be so lucky.

I wrote a letter to Felicity telling her what happened. A few days later I got her response.

_Oh Gemma dear! You poor thing. I am so sorry to hear about you father. I'm sure he will be in absolute perfect health in no time. Anyway, I was wondering if you would come with me and my mother to the ballet next Thursday. It shall be a jolly good time, don't you think. And maybe we can pull the same stunt we did at the opera last Christmas and visit the Realms. Oh Gemma just this once! You must miss it as much as I do. And we can visit Pip. That sounds even more wonderful then the ballet. And we need to talk about a certain group and person, I am sure you know who I'm speaking of. Well, respond to my offer soon, and come and visit this Saturday, so we don't end up wearing the same color to the ballet. That would be terribly awkward._

_Au revoir mon amie,_

_Felicity Worthington _

That is oh so like Felicity to talk about my Father's heath for less then two lines, and beg me to take her to the realms. I do miss them but I'm not sure Mrs. Worthington will fall for the same trick, I don't think she is has oblivious as Franny. And Felicity just assumes I will accept the ballet with her. Honestly it sound rather boring and if I follow Kartik's 'advice', if that's what you can call it, then I'm not allowed to leave the house.

Well I don't care, I shall attend the ballet and…..and I will go to the realms. Just this once.


End file.
